ITN has announced Tim Forrest as its new head of content distribution and commercial innovation.
Following a career including roles at Sky News and the BBC, Forrest joined ITN as an assistant programme editor in 2013, and has held a number of editorial and strategic roles at the company. His recent work includes the oversight of newsroom-wide projects which have included the integration of digital workflows and innovation initiatives, said ITN. Under his leadership, the ITN archive has seen digital revenue rise by 60 per cent year-on-year during the last six months.
In his new role, he will lead news syndication and distribution for ITN, also overseeing its archive and playing a leading part in shaping future-facing opportunities, for example through programmatic sales, AI and within the creator economy.
Alongside co-leads on AI, Balihar Khalsa, head of policy and external affairs and CTO Jon Roberts, he will explore further commercial opportunities through the technology with oversight of commercial partnerships, such as the collaboration with Open Origins.
Commenting on his appointment, Forrest said, “I’m thrilled to take on this new role at ITN. As the media landscape evolves, we have a huge opportunity to innovate how we distribute and monetise our content globally. From expanding the reach of our archive to exploring AI and programmatic sales, I’m excited to help shape the next chapter of ITN’s commercial growth.”
Rachel Corp, CEO of ITN, said, “Tim brings an excellent combination of editorial insight and commercial acumen to this role. His leadership has already driven significant innovation across our newsroom and archive operations. As head of content distribution and commercial innovation, he will be instrumental in unlocking new opportunities for ITN and ensuring our content continues to reach audiences in powerful and creative ways.”
